Rousteing has completely redesign the whole brand for this season, making a very ambitious and risky attempt by incorporating unpredictable styles and designs that were not known from the predecessor collections. It is no longer the timeless classic Balmain style here, I felt that the brand is slowly drifting away from its roots since Balmain Spring Summer 2013 – Safari theme.

Although the entire Balmain Spring Summer 2014 Menswear is a surprising collection, there is a balance between a few noteworthy individual pieces and the atrocious styling. What we love most here are the usual multi-zip leather jackets, biker jeans, and leather trousers that seems to be the most updated and wearable pieces in reality. While the aggressive styling of dressy slippers to denim jumpsuit and looks what seems to be a 22cm denim jeans from the 90s are evidently repulsive. You might also notice a few distinctive jackets and leather trousers which has been branded with a captain embroidered badge – they seem to be a little too big and conspicuous, don’t you think so?

Maurice Lim is Second Kulture’s independent editor and has spent the past four years producing technical content for the site. He devotes most of his week in studying and observing leading designer menswear trends, in particularly brands featured on the site. He is obsessed with fine clothing and has a great penchant for French labels – the more impractical he say, the better. He also likes a good long black.

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Simply amazing.I think its a positive change. The jackets and the overall's are brilliant (specially the leather jumpsuit although a similar one is being sold now at Via Roma by JPG).Totally in love in this collection, and it is a wise step from him to this shift.I think he is planning to shift the biker jeans and related pieces to a permanent collection which is good.The spring summer collection is promising so far, many lovely pieces from different designers (Prada, Dries van Noten, Raf Simons, and more). Looking forward for tomorrow, Tisciiii please surprise us tomorrow.

That is an interesting point from you, because I didn't really enjoyed Spring Summer 2014 so far, especially during Milan Fashion Week :(. Not too sure about Balmain at the moment, some of the jacket designs are pretty ambitious much like the current Balmain Spring Summer 2013 collection – I didn't like the crop tuxedos, jackets and vest, these designs are not timeless enough to an extend. But I am sure there will be better pieces that are not displayed here. Now waiting for the presentation photos to be released.

Anonymous

7/10 to me hopefully the presentation photos can blow me out the water(no pun intended)

I have to agree with you Maurice, Olivier has completely drifted away from what makes Balmain homme Balmain… Some of the pieces here could pass off as Ralph Lauren??!! And what's with the baggie pants since AW13?? And does he realize those quilt pattern pieces just don't sell??? Some of the pieces are just so strangely designed, the proportion doesn't even seem right with the large decorative motifs…

Anyway, there're only 1 or 2 pieces I think I'd get from the AW13 collection, and sadly, those are pretty much the remake/revisions from Decarnin's… And nothing here really interests me so far… Maybe I should thank Olivier for saving me lots of money hahaha

Not sure what's with Olivier and quilted cross stitching. He probably isn't aware that it's not sellable, maybe the sales and marketing department didn't give him any feedback about the fw12 sales performance. I like that he brought back the embroidery badges, but it's too damn big, and what's with the jacket with all the badges, seems weird. I hope the retail goods will be better, as I'm sure there are more wearable pieces that are not displayed here.

Anonymous

Hi Maurice!

Oh my… what a terrible collection… Is this Balmain or a new Sailor Label? What is wrong with Rousteing? He destroys the identity of Balmain!

I think i'm honest when i say I wouldn't buy anything from the Spring 2014 collection so far.

Christophe Decarnin where are you? Please come back!

I cannot believe it.. I had such an big anticipation but now I switch over to Saint Laurent.

This theme is not very inspiring, and it's hard to relate for the consumers. I mean, nobody would really dream to be a sailor, not like military or biker theme its just so different. I wonder what is Rousteing going to offer in Balmain Fall Winter 2014.

Me too, im starting to look at Saint Laurent, Balmain is just too lame for SS14!

Anonymous

i like the 15 eme look the blazers is pretty cool but i never buy blazers…what is the interest for me to buy a blue blazers?too much blue in this collection, it's like an overdoze.general theme are pretty bad … at least japan>blue> safariwhat is the next theme? nature? with all the pieces in green?ss12 and fw12 >>>> ALLno pirates on the sea? only a jpg look? they need to choose some mad theme…

Next time you might never know he will come out with Pirates in the Caribbean theme, and we will all look like Captain Jack Sparrow lol. It's hard to guess for Fall Winter 2014 – but I think its going to do with one of the ambitious themes again, just like FW13, and SS13.

Anonymous

I was sure it will be a disaster, the only great pieces are the ones Decarnin designed. Only the two first collections of Rousteing were good because he just finished the Decarnin's work when he leaved. Seriously it suck. It's a kind of collection we will find in an outlet in 5 years seriously.

I can't agree more, it is quite distasteful here. These designs are pretty extreme which is good in someway, but it's too tricky and I can't imagine that it will be considered a modern classic after Spring Summer 2014. I miss Decarnin, wonder what is he currently up to.

Anonymous

I hope he has left Balmain by then even for women I think the design are so old sometimes seriously the cut are so 90s. And all the collection are -50%, -70% on yoox 6 months after the release lol

Hmm, your selection is very interesting. Seem to be the latest designs that were not known from the predecessor collection. What do you think about Rousteing's new approach for the 'Sailor' theme – Balmain SS14 Mens?

To be quite honest Balmain has always been more and well suited to someone with a more "hard core"/"bad ass" look. Now that the Brand is becoming so well known to people, particularly to people of asian appearance/body type and build (on the skinnier side) over the last years it seems Rousteings design is pushing towards to cater for them. IE more "elegant" less "biker/badass".

Anonymous

I don't agree with you, I'm not asian but I'm skinny and the clothes doesn't fit me well. In Europe, stores doesn't have 28 or 27 they usually start at 29 or 30. The size all fits large, even the 27. Saint Laurent fit are better for skinny people.

You can only find size 27 and 28 in Balmain HK, China and Japan. But since most of the jeans and trousers do not fit true to size, they are around 29 and above in reality, which must be very frustrating for the customers around that size.

SL has a better chance in Asia, their fit is perfect for Asian sizing. But 15.5cm jeans are super tight, im not sure how people could wear them, my legs are already considered skinny enough yet I always struggle to get tight jeans off. Including most Balmain 17cm Biker Jeans at size 30 true to size. So I can't imagine wearing 15.5!

Anonymous

If it's stretch there is no problem (the Saint Laurent jeans cut are horrible in fact, I tried one and it's weird). There is only two 27 and 28 in Balmain Paris store that's all and you have to preorder it for having it. I have the black quilted waxed one from fw12 in 28 and it's way too big, I think they should made an effort about the size.

The black quilted from FW12 is 2 sizes bigger than usual. Even for the black destroyed biker which I have sold since they don't fit to my size.

Anonymous

What's more is that this collection is not practical. I think Olivier spent a little too much time near the oceans over the last few years (Cuba/Florida inspired him for SS13 and he has been in Los Angeles often this year).

Let's assume you have a boat and you enjoy sailing…you are NOT going to be wearing Balmain Leather while on the water. You are probably only in shorts. Even a night out would require some more free flowing or edgy looks, not a "sailor in the club" look.

Honestly, the only company that really KNOWS sailing is Paul Shark & Co, which make BEAUTIFUL pieces that are actually waterproof even in knits. They are also priced high, but not at Balmain levels.

I think the fact that 40% of the house revenue is now being generated by the Homme collection, they are starting to branch into new area's in an effort to capture even MORE male revenue. Unfortunately, what they don't seem to understand is that the 40% enjoys the Edgy/Biker look and I'm willing to bet a big drop in Homme revenue next year as a result of this collection.

You are very observant my friend. I do know that Olivier enjoy's sailing judging through his lifestyle photos on Instagram, but didn't know he spent so much time at the ocean.

I have to agree with you that not all of his customers will go sailing. I also have a couple of Paul Shark & Co menswear, they are very well made and practically designed for the ocean spree.

Anyways, there will always be a smaller collection that is not presented here. And I do believe they cater towards the 'old' taste. Then again, prices has gone up this season which makes me quite unhappy. So far I haven't really bother thinking about buying any Balmain, I think it may be worst next season.

This collection is great. I think you guys expect a whole lot from these brands(Givenchy, Balmain) that you can't appreciate that there are great pieces in these collections. Not a fan of overalls period and the styling of some looks could've been better but as a whole its one of the best Balmain seasons I've seen.

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